New Suomi.fi guide supports parents in having a child and recognises the diversity of those considering parenthood

Suomi.fi's new Having a Child guide is designed for all those considering parenthood and upcoming parents. The guide is a reliable information package that guides the reader to the right help and offers advice on a wide range of paths to parenthood. It has been compiled by various organisations and partners in the field, together with the Digital and Population Data Services Agency.

The new Having a Child guide brings together guidance, advice and support from a range of authorities and organisations. It is a comprehensive information package that takes into account the different life situations and backgrounds of people considering parenthood and upcoming parents. 

"Having a child can involve a lot of questions and issues to deal with, from possible fertility treatment and counselling services to peer support services, various forms of social support and reporting the child’s details. The guide aims to support and help everyone who wants to become a parent to find information and services for their situation," says Heli Hautaniemi, Senior Specialist at the Digital and Population Data Services Agency. 

Reliable information is key in major life changes

Those who are considering parenthood or becoming a parent are often facing a major life change, which can evoke a range of thoughts and feelings. In such cases, the importance of reliable information provided by the guide is highlighted. 

"When a person is facing a major life change or even a crisis, their resources can be limited. It’ is important that reliable information can be easily found in one place," says Rozjin Rokhzad, Parenting Expert at the Family Federation of Finland. 

The employees at Parisuhdekeskus Kataja ry agrees with Rokhzad. They have also noticed that many end up asking very similar questions:

"All parents wonder what is normal and what is not. This is what we have wanted to answer in the guide and to direct people to help, if necessary," says Suvi Laru, Executive Director at Parisuhdekeskus Kataja ry.

The content of the digital guide is structured in such a way that the user finds the relevant information with the help of a few background questions, instead of getting lost in a jungle of instructions.

"Although the information package is very comprehensive, the guide has been designed to be easy to use and light for the user," says Rokhzad.

The guide is praised for its versatility

Both Väestöliitto and Parisuhdekeskus Kataja ry feel that a wide range of experts have been consulted in compiling the guide and that the views of different actors have been heard and taken into account. Each organisation has focused on the challenges of its own target group, which are now addressed in the guide.

"We are delighted that the guide is for all kinds of people who want to become parents. We were able to bring our own expertise and the forms of support we have to offer to the guide. It gives a very concrete idea of where to get help and where to find more information," says Laru. 

"It has been designed to take into account the diversity of the target group. This has sometimes challenged us to find the right content and wording to ensure that the guide considers all kinds of situations. However, we had a large team of experts working on the guide and were able to take into account a wide range of perspectives," Rokhzad summarises.

"By combining everyone'‘s efforts, we came up with a really good and comprehensive result," concludes Laru.

The guide has been produced in collaboration with a wide range of experts

The Digital and Population Data Services Agency has prepared the guide in cooperation with many authorities and organisations in the field: Adoptioperheet ry, Duodecim, the ELY Centre, the Federation of Mother and Child Homes and Shelters, Familia ry, the City of Helsinki, Finnish Association for Breastfeeding Support, Interpedia ry, the Social Insurance Institution of Finland Kela, Parisuhdekeskus Kataja ry, Rainbow Families Finland, Simpukka ry, Finnish Multiple Births Association, THL, the Family Federation of Finland, Yhden vanhemman perheiden liitto ry and Äimä ry.